General Description
This service is provided to help a district plan for, install and implement GroupWise Electronic mail (E-mail) at their location. Once implemented, the district will be able to communicate with all other connected districts and the Internet. E-mail administrator training will be provided to the district.
Eligibility and Prerequisites
The Electronic Mail Installation and Support service is available to all school districts in the service area.
Support and maintenance of a GroupWise E-mail system installed by the NERIC is available to all school districts in the service area. Support and maintenance of a GroupWise E-mail system not installed by the NERIC is available to all school districts in the service area after the GroupWise E-mail System is certified by the NERIC as being compliant with current regional GroupWise E-mail standards. The district will designate one person who will be primarily responsible for the day-to-day operation of the E-mail system.
Minimum requirements are:
For E-mail administration on a Novell Netware server:
IBM or compatible PC with a Pentium processor that meets current NERIC standards.
500K free conventional memory
32 MB memory, or more expanded/extended memory
40 MB free hard disk space plus additional 2-3 MB per user
Windows 95 or later
GroupWise 4.1 or later Client, Administration and Message Server software
For E-mail administration on a RS/6000 UNIX server:
RS/6000 computer:
40 MB free disk space plus additional 2-3 MB per user on RS/6000
GroupWise 4.1 or later Client, Administration and Message Server software
PC (for Administration):
IBM or Compatible PC with a Pentium processor that meets current NERIC standards.
500K free conventional memory
32 MB memory, or more expanded/extended memory
20 MB free hard disk space on PC
TCP/IP and NFS software for the PC
Initial Implementation
1. The district requests service from the NERIC in a commitment letter submitted to the school's local BOCES with a copy to the director of the Capital Region BOCES NERIC.
2. NERIC staff will assess equipment and/or software needs based upon the operating environment required by the software. NERIC staff will recommend changes, if appropriate, and procure software for the district.
3. A planning session will be held with NERIC staff and selected administrators and staff from the requesting district to determine the E-mail needs of that district and to design a system that will best meet those needs. An implementation plan will be developed to put the E-mail system into place at a single site. Implementing GroupWise at additional sites/buildings will incur a separate charge.
4. NERIC staff will visit the primary site. This staff will install and configure software, in accordance with the implementation design, on the server and up to 50 client workstations that meet current NERIC standards at that site.
5. The E-Mail System Administrator will be given training on how to manage and administrate the E-mail system. Up to 3 other district staff members may also receive this training. Additional training to other staff is available, but will be billed separately.
Communication:A school district may send mail locally within their own district. But if they wish to exchange mail with other districts and the Internet using GroupWise they must be connected to the NERIC's WAN to do so. To exchange mail between multiple buildings in the district, those buildings must have some means to connect to each other (e.g. a LAN etc.).
Ongoing SupportAfter completion of the Implementation Plan the following services will be provided on an ongoing basis by the NERIC:
1. Retraining or additional training will be provided to district E-mail system administration personnel as needed on administrative tasks. This will be provided at the school district site or the NERIC.
2. Telephone and/or site visits by coordinators or other support personnel will be provided on an as-needed basis for technical support of the administration of the entire E-mail system.
3. Additional support will be provided in the form of centralized meetings for district personnel for the purpose of sharing new information about the E-mail system, to refresh training, and to provide a forum for information exchange between E-mail administrators.
4. As E-mail software upgrades become available, RIC staff will meet with district staff to develop a migration plan for the district, and to review software and hardware changes that would be necessary for that upgrade. NERIC staff will procure those software releases for the district and install and configure the upgrade on the server(s). Client-software upgrade installations will be the responsibility of the district.
5. After the initial installation and configuration of software, subsequent configuration due to changes initiated by the district would generate additional charges.
